DESCRIPTION:
Needing an extremely large strategic transport, the Air Force selected Lockheed to develop a complement to
its C-141. The resulting C-5 Galaxy was, for a time, the largest aircraft in the
world. The design utilizes loading doors at both the front and rear of the fuselage to provide the
aircraft with an unobstructed cargo deck 121 ft long and 19 ft wide. The C-5 is also equipped with
high-lift slats and flaps to reduce takeoff length, air-refueling capability for unlimited range, advanced
radar equipment, and 28-wheel landing gear able to operate from unpaved surfaces.

Though the aircraft soon proved invaluable for long-distance heavy transport, the C-5 suffered from
significant structural fatigue early in its lifetime. These structural cracks limited the planes to only
1/5th of their maximum payload capacity. To restore full capability and extend service life, the US Air
Force was forced to have all 77 C-5A aircraft then in service re-built with a new wing. Still more
improvements in reliability were introduced in 50 C-5B aircraft that featured newer engines and avionics.

The C-5 continues to serve as the primary heavy transport for the USAF alongside the C-17
Globemaster III. However, budget planners have long battled over investing in modernizing the aging
C-5 fleet or instead purchasing more C-17 transports. The Air Force has so far decided to give all 111
remaining C-5 aircraft an avionics upgrade to replace outdated electronics systems, but only 49 of these
will also receive a costly engine replacement. The modernized planes are known as the C-5M.

Data below for C-5ALast modified 15 April 2011

HISTORY:

First Flight

(C-5A) 30 June 1968
(C-5 AMP) 21 December 2002
(C-5M) 19 June 2006

Service Entry

(C-5A) 17 December 1969
(C-5B) 1980

CREW:

seven: pilot, co-pilot, two flight engineers, three loadmasters

PASSENGERS:

345 troops

ESTIMATED COST:

(C-5A) $152.8 million [1998$]
(C-5B) $179 million [1998$]

AIRFOIL SECTIONS:

Wing Root

NACA 0013-44 mod

Wing Tip

Hybrid NACA 11%

DIMENSIONS:

Length

247.83 ft (75.54 m)

Wingspan

222.71 ft (67.88 m)

Height

65.13 ft (19.85 m)

Wing Area

6,200 ft² (576.0 m²)

Canard Area

not applicable

WEIGHTS:

Empty

337,935 lb (153,285 kg)

Normal Takeoff

769,000 lb (348,815 kg) [peacetime limit]

Max Takeoff

840,000 lb (381,015 kg) [wartime maximum]

Fuel Capacity

51,150 US gal (193,620 L)

Max Payload

261,000 lb (118,385 kg)

PROPULSION:

Powerplant

(C-5A/B) four General Electric TF-39-1 turbofans
(C-5M) four General Electric CF6-80C2 turbofans

Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program to replace the TF39 engines with CF6-80C2 turbofans as well
as make other upgrades to the airframe, landing gear, cockpit, and other systems; 49 to be converted (47
C-5B, 2 C-5C)